The Light In Her Eyes
by zeusfluff
Summary: After a Cardassian warship crosses the border from the Neutral Zone into Federation space, they board the Federation flagship and kidnap Counselor Troi, taking her hostage on a planet they claim is rightfully theirs for colonization.
1. The Light In Her Eyes

**The Light In Her Eyes**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own an original character in this story. Date Started: 4/9/14. Date Finished: 4/9/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks! Summary: After a Cardassian warship crosses the border from the Neutral Zone into Federation space, they board the Federation flagship and kidnap Counselor Troi, taking her hostage on a planet they claim is rightfully theirs for colonization. I guess you could say this was an Alternate Universe.

* * *

Deck 8: Section 5

Riker's Quarters

November 16th, 2369

"Will I don't think having a replicated crib is a bad idea. I mean, where are we going to get the wood to build one by hand?"

Riker chuckled at his wife. Troi had firmly planted herself on the couch with a piece of chocolate and popped the morsel into her mouth.

"I grew up learning how to do things the good old fashioned way. By hand. We had a replicator in the house while I was growing up, but he preferred if I cooked the meal over a gas stove. Our daughter is going to try my cooking with a stove. I'm not going to replicate her anything, unless its clothes. Food is another story. You need to experience it through _real cooking."_

Now it was Deanna's turn to laugh a little. Shaking her head she managed to hoist herself into a sitting position. Will strode over to her and held out a left hand and pulled her up.

"I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

Riker shook his head and gave a small chuckle. Just recently he'd replicated a refrigeration unit so that he could store the eggs he'd gotten on their last trip back to Earth. He'd never told Deanna that he had been secretly wishing they'd have a girl. A little girl meant spoiling her every chance he got, but he also knew they he would have to be just as strict with her when she got to be a teenager. The same if they were having a boy. As he was opening the refrigeration unit, he heard what sounded like a mirror breaking in the bathroom.

His heart racing, he took hurried steps towards their bathroom calling out as he got closer.

"Imzadi? Are you alright in there?"

His blood turned to ice seemingly in his veins as shards of glass from the mirror crunched under his feet on the carpeted deck below him. The blood drained from his face and became a sickly white as he came face to face with a Cardassian soldier holding his wife in front of him as a shield and a disruptor aimed at her ever growing baby belly.

"You move, and I'll kill your wife right where she stands."

Riker held up his hands in caution.

"Let her go and we can negotiate some terms. What do you want?"

But before he could even remotely get an answer out of the Cardassian in front of him, he was knocked over the head with the butt of the disruptor. Even with blurred vision, he managed to get to his feet and saw as the Cardassian dragged his wife out of their quarters, fighting the whole way.

"Let go of me! Whatever you want, I won't help you!"

Will got to his feet and followed them out into the corridor. As soon as he left their quarters, he got a sick feeling in his stomach and his eyes watered. Gagging, he staggered and fell over onto the carpeted deck below him. Blackness now surrounded him. Where had this Cardassian taken his wife?

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	2. Waking Up

**Chapter 2: Waking Up**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own an original character. Date Started: 4/9/14. Date Finished: 4/10/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

Troi was groggy but she didn't know why. She groaned and rolled over on something that seemed soft. Cracking her eyes open, she found herself in a room with at least 12 other people. There was someone sitting on the edge of the bed. Or what seemed like a bed.

"Good you're awake."

Now Deanna was very confused. She took in her surroundings. The room they were in was only a 16X16 foot space.

"Where am I? Who are you?"

She surveyed the room some more, and now noticed that her eyes could focus even in the harsh light glaring down at her. She found that she was in a room with Bajorans.

"My name is Kina. You are on the planet Sarent. This is our housing assignment. You've been asleep for nearly four days. Before the occupation, I was a doctor on Bajor. I barely escaped with my life when Cardassians burned my hospital to the ground and murdered my staff."

Deanna moved slightly and tried sitting up, but the kind Bajoran woman gently pushed her back down.

"You need rest. What is your name?"

Deanna shifted her gaze to the other women and children in the room. There was a little girl standing just behind Kina.

"My name is Deanna Troi. Ship's counselor aboard the Federation starship Enterprise."

Kina nodded and took a small device from her pocket. She wore a tattered and somewhat dirtied lab coat.

"This is the only medical device the Cardassians let me keep. There were nearly 600 of us when we set out to build our new home here on Sarent. But then the Cardassian military converged on this planet, claiming it as theirs, even though it is well outside the Neutral Zone. I expect Federation vessels to converge on Sarent any day now."

The doors to the cramped room opened up and in came a Cardassian soldier. Deanna squinted at first, there was something familiar about this Cardassian. Her eyes grew wide once she realized it was the Cardassian that had drug her away from her husband. His disruptor was holstered for the moment, but he had a strange smile on his face. He threw a data padd at her and she caught it.

"If you even attempt to escape from this room, I will personally cut that child out of your belly myself."

Troi swallowed and wrapped her arms around her stomach. Kina shushed her when she tried to speak.

"Shh, I won't let them hurt you. I won't let them take your child. I cleaned the nasty gash you had on your hand, got the glass out as best I could. Dressings will need to be changed on it daily, but we have limited supplies as you can see. One facility in which to bathe and clean ourselves up. Your child is doing surprisingly well despite the ordeal you went through. How far are you?"

Deanna sighed and rubbed her belly with her hands.

"37 weeks. 14 weeks out from my due date still."

A light bulb went off in Kina's head and she nodded.

"You're Betazoid. I figured as much, the deep dark eyes that can see straight into your soul. Your people aren't much different from my own."

Troi tapped on the data padd and gasped, placing a hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. It was a photo of Will, he was unconscious. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and fingered the padd. Kina looked at the padd and had a question mark on her face.

"Who's that?"

Deanna wiped her eyes again and cleared her throat.

"My husband. Will Riker. He's an officer aboard the Enterprise. How long have you been here?"

Kina looked around at the women and children in the room with them. _With her. _A solemn look crossed her face.

"Each of these children here I delivered myself. The oldest children were born on Bajor. The youngest was born here three days ago."

Deanna knew for a fact that she didn't want her daughter brought into this place. She shivered as she heard the Cardassian's voice in her head: _'If you even attempt to escape from this room, I will personally cut that child out of your belly myself.' _She didn't realize though that the Cardassian's had something in store for her that would haunt her for years to come.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	3. A Chance Link

**Chapter 3: A Chance Link**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own the baby. Date Started: 4/10/14. Date Finished: 4/16/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

The first thing he noticed when he opened up his eyes was that he was in Sickbay. Beverly came into his line of vision and put the back of her hand to his forehead.

"Good your fever's broken."

Genuinely confused, Riker suddenly sat up.

"What's going on? The last thing I remember is losing consciousness in the corridor."

Bev nodded and a solemn look crossed her face.

"The Cardassian's flooded the ship with some sort of Anesthezine gas. They took Deanna down to the planet but we're not exactly sure where she was taken. We'll get her back."

Together, their link was strong, but there was some sort of electromagnetic interference surrounding the planet and it was blocking their signal to each other.

"If that Cardassian that dragged her out of our quarters has done anything to her or our baby, I'll kill him myself. With my bare hands."

Doctor Crusher put her hands on Will's shoulders.

"Will, I know you are worried about Deanna. We all are. It doesn't make it any easier knowing that she's getting closer to her due date every day."

But Will didn't care at the moment, all he wanted to do, was go down to the planet and find his Imzadi. Then he heard something like static inside his head at first, and then Deanna's voice.

'The baby is alright Imzadi. We're alright. I was knocked out with some sort of Anesthezine gas and I'm being held captive in a 16X16 foot room with at least 20 Bajorans…"

The link was suddenly severed and it made him feel like he couldn't breathe. He felt as if he were suffocating. Beverly steadied him and watched for a moment.

"Will if you can hear me, can you breathe?"

But she already knew the answer to her question even as Riker shook his head.

"Ok, I'll get you 2cc's of Epi to open up your lungs."

Riker began to sputter and cough at first as his lungs adjusted to the 2cc's of Epi entering his lungs. He wheezed for 30 seconds or so and then found that air had begun entering his lungs at regular intervals. Beverly encouraged him to keep his breathing steady.

"That's it. Relax and take deep breaths in and out. There you go."

Once he regained his bearings, he propped himself up on his elbows so he was leaning upwards.

"I take it my being unable to breathe was the result of the Anesthezine gas, and not the link between Deanna and I."

Beverly stopped for just a millisecond and looked at Will to see if she'd heard him right.

"Deanna spoke to you?"

Nodding his head, he shifted position on the bed.

"Yes, but it was like something you'd hear over those old radio stations in automobiles in the 20th century, called an AM station. It was full of static. She said that her and the baby were alright and that she was in a room with 20 or so Bajorans. A room that was only 16X16 feet. They gave her Anesthezine gas too. We don't know what kind of effects it might have on the baby. It cut out after that."

Beverly looked mystified by what Will was saying, but was trying to process it all at once.

"I don't see how we're going to get her back with all those Cardassians down there, but we have to assume that Deanna and your daughter are in grave danger."

Will curled his fists and sat up.

"You need to stay here Will. Let's speak to the captain about this."

He was uncertain of his future at the moment, if those Cardassians did anything to hurt his family, he would go after each and every one of them, and make them pay for what they'd done.

To Be Continued…

A/N: so, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	4. An Illusion At Best

**Chapter 4: An Illusion at Best**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own Riker and Troi's daughter. Date Started: 4/17/14. Date Finished: 4/30/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

Troi had cleaned herself up as best she could with what little she had in the cramped 'bathroom' in the 16X16 foot room she shared with 20 other people. A fluttering of a foot in her belly startled Deanna from gazing at the reflection staring back at her from the dirtied and cracked mirror. _10 years back luck that is, for whomever broke this mirror. _

"We'll get out of here soon Lily. Mommy just needs time to figure out some things first."

Startled by the opening of the door out in the main sleeping area, a tall Cardassian was looking through the throng of Bajorans sitting on the floor. But Deanna noticed that he was not looking for any Bajorans, he was looking for her. Swallowing, she opened up the bathroom door and stepped out. This Cardassian was dressed differently. He was wearing a white lab coat.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt your child. I've never seen a pregnant Betazoid up close before."

Deanna backed away from the Cardassian and the Bajoran women blocked her from his view.

"You will not take this child and you will not take her child away from her."

It was Kina who blocked Deanna from the Cardassian in the white lab coat. Though the Cardassian seemed sincere enough, Deanna didn't trust him completely. He stood tall, but his manner didn't seem arrogant, which surprised Deanna.

"Don't worry, your child will be perfectly safe. We're just going to run a few scans on you to make sure the two of you are doing alright. No harm will come to either of you."

The guards parted the crowd guarding Deanna and led her out of the room. But the two Cardassians who led her from the room had their disruptors on her. So she couldn't get away even if she wanted to. They would harm her and the baby. So, she had to play along, forced to play along with this situation. The hallway was dimly lit, so her eyes had a hard time adjusting. She had no idea where they were going, but the Cardassian just ahead of her had never let go of her hand as they made their way into a room she would describe as a crude 20th century exam room from Earth. She'd read about what would happen to pregnant women who were in danger of their lives and had to have their children delivered via C-section. She shivered at the thought as the Cardassian in front of her turned towards her, giving a small smile.

"Please, have a seat on the exam bed."

Swallowing again, she slowly hopped up onto the bed and looked around the room. She could see trays upon trays on the countertop in front of the Cardassian doctor. The Cardassian in the lab coat turned around once more and stopped wiping his hands.

"Oh how rude of me, I didn't introduce myself properly: I'm Doctor Krell Moset. I'll be taking care of you during the course of your pregnancy."

Troi's blood ran cold but she held her ground. Trying her best not to show her fear towards him.

"Deanna Troi, ship's counselor aboard the Enterprise."

Moset's eyes widened, but they still held that warmth.

"No worries, you'll be returned to the Enterprise in a timely fashion, and back to your husband, Commander Riker."

Deanna looked him straight in the eyes. _He must have some intelligence reports. _She scooted farther from him as he went to place a hand on her belly. His smile grew.

"My, you have a very active child in there."

Troi moved farther away from Moset, and was becoming more suspicious.

"Yes, _she is._"

Before Deanna knew what was happening, she heard a hiss from some sort of hypospray and felt a sharp sting in her stomach. Instantly, she became disoriented. Her vision became dark around the edges, her peripheral vision wasn't there. She stumbled off the bed and towards the door. But before she could get out into the corridor, everything went dark. When she woke again, Kina was wiping sweat away from her forehead. She groaned and tried to sit up. Kina's voice did nothing to soothe her pain.

"Lie back. You are in a great deal of pain."

Troi noticed that the pain was worse now. She removed the scratchy blanket that was draped over her. It was apparent to her what was happening, but to Kina it obviously wasn't.

"There's blood by my legs. Why is there blood by my legs?"

Kina looked at Troi with a confused look on her face.

"You poor child, 'the butcher' must've given you a hallucinatory drug. From what I can tell, it's not having any effect on your child."

Bleary eyed, Deanna's eyes widened.

" 'The butcher'?"

Kina nodded her head and wiped the sweat from Deanna's forehead once more.

"Yes, Krell Moset. The 'Butcher of Bajor.' He's killed hundreds of my people. All for his so-called experiments. A lot of them were performed on pregnant women. I won't let him take you again. Here drink this. These herbs will cleanse your body of the hallucinatory drugs in your system."

Deanna nodded her head and carefully put the cup up to her lips and drank down the warm liquid, however bitter. This wasn't the best of circumstances. But she knew that Will would somehow come and find her. She hoped sooner, the better.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Sorry it's taken so long. Been distracted with playing on Star Trek Online. The game is really fun.


	5. Connection at a Deeper Level

**Chapter 5: Connection at a Deeper Level**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own: Lily. Date Started: 5/4/14. Date Finished: 5/8/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

He'd felt like there was a giant stab wound on the side of his stomach. Entering Sickbay, he managed to hoist himself up onto a bio bed and sit. Bev had a mischievous smile on her face as she came over towards him.

"Ok Will, what did you do this time?"  
Will frowned and pulled his uniform shirt up slightly so that Crusher could see what was going on.

"I don't know exactly. One minute I was sitting on the bridge, minding my own business, and then all of a sudden, I feel this sharp stabbing pain on the side of my stomach and I start sweating profusely. Not my Appendix is it?"

Bev shook her head and scanned him for a moment.

"I'm not certain. My tricorder isn't getting conclusive readings. Here, lie back for a minute. Have you had any nausea? Dizziness? Any belly pain when vomiting?"

Riker shook his head and shut his eyes.

"No to the nausea, no to the vomiting, but belly pain and dizziness hit it right on the nose."

Doctor Crusher became concerned and furrowed her eyebrows together.

"Hmm, no rebound tenderness when I press down on your side."

Raising his eyebrows at Crusher, he shook his head and steadied himself, another wave of dizziness taking hold of him.

"Doctor, if you don't mind, speak in layman's terms please."

Beverly shook her head.

"Sorry Will. You don't recoil when I press down on your side, and it's not hot to the touch, so it's not your appendix, or your spleen. I'll need to run further tests. Do you think it could've simply been something you ate? It's been awhile since I've treated anyone with food poisoning."

Will shook his head no, slowly.

"It's not something I ate Bev. It feels like someone injected me with something."

She continued scanning with her tricorder and at the same time she turned on the wall screen and started a scan there as well.

"I'm sorry I have to ask you this, but, have you had any trouble with bowel movements?"

Riker squirmed uncomfortably on the bio bed.

"Um no I haven't."

Beverly continued with her scans.

"Ok, I can officially rule out Rigelian Fever and Flu. Huh, this is strange. Something is suppressing your immune system. Your lymph nodes are severely compromised. You don't look well Will. Is there anything else you can me about what you're experiencing?"

Will tried to remain still, only because the room was spinning at an infinitesimal rate.

"Well, I am having a little trouble standing and keeping my balance."

Doctor Crusher nodded her head and scanned further. She raised her eyebrows in surprise when her medical tricorder began beeping.

"Will you have massive amounts of an unknown hallucinatory drug in your system. Who did this to you?"

He shook his head at Crusher and his head lulled back onto the bio bed.

"I don't know. It felt like a hypospray got me in the stomach, but there was something sharp on the end of it. Almost like one of those old metal hypodermic needles doctors used in the 20th century."

Beverly frowned and scanned with her tricorder around the site of the puncture.

"Sounds to me like a Cardassian medical instrument. But the real question here is: how did they get onboard without us detecting them? Their technology isn't that advanced for such a device yet."

She pressed a few more buttons on her tricorder and placed a cold compress against his forehead. Will heard Doctor Crusher press her commbadge.

"Crusher to Picard. I'd like to see you in Sickbay immediately."

Riker kept the cold compress against his forehead but his mind began to wander towards his wife and his unborn daughter. He wondered if they were getting enough to eat, if Deanna was comfortable or warm even.

"I have to get down to the planet and find Deanna. She isn't safe down there."

Beverly changed out the cold compress over Will's forehead.

"If only that were possible Will. We don't know where she is exactly. The Cardassians are jamming all communications down to the planet. That includes transporters. Sending a shuttle down wouldn't do any good. The atmosphere is too turbulent. The ionic storms would tear it apart before it even reached the surface. We'll find a way."

But Will wasn't having it. He wanted his wife back. He wanted her safe.

"There has to be some way to communicate with the Cardassians on the planet. Especially the one that took Deanna. He could be doing god knows what to her and I'm not there to stop anything from happening."

He was afraid for her, he'd heard what the Cardassians had done on Bajor, but he had no idea what they'd do to a Betazoid.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	6. No Other Choice

**Chapter 6: No Other Choice**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own: Lily. Date Started: 5/9/14. Date Finished: 5/16/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

"You are now a Domestic servant in my household. You will serve my family. You will cook and do light cleaning. You and Kina will split the daily chores. The two of you are not to have any conversations with any member of the family. Is that understood?"

Deanna narrowed her eyes at Moset. She wasn't sure she liked this arrangement. But at least it was better than sharing a room with 18 other people.

"As clear as crystal."

Moset's eyes darkened, but he said nothing in regards to her remark. Leading her down a thick carpeted hallway, he pretended to wipe the dust from the wall.

"This will be your living quarters. Kina will share them with you. I've only provided one bed. So you will have to decide whom sleeps there and whom sleeps on the floor. Once you've settled in here, I want you to report to the kitchen in 15 minutes."

Then Moset departed the room, leaving Deanna to process her new situation that was forming in front of her. Lily's kicking brought her back to reality.

"What have we gotten into this time sweetheart?"

Kina entered their small living quarters with what little belongings she had.

"I'll sleep on the floor, you can take the bed."

Troi cast a glance at the plain green dress that Moset placed on the bed for her.

"We should get dressed. Moset wants us down in the kitchen in 15 minutes."

Kina harrumphed and went into the small bathroom on the side of the bedroom.

"Moset walks around as if he owns this house. I knew the mother and five children who used to live in this house before he kicked them out."

Deanna listened to Kina speak as she slipped the dress on over her head.

"How can one man have so much power?"

Kina exited the tiny bathroom and tugged at the collar of the plain green dress she was wearing.

"He is the _most respected _Exo-biologist on Cardassia. He also has delivered over 10,000 Cardassian children."

Deanna swallowed, but didn't let her fear show. The two hurried out of their living quarters and down the hallway towards the kitchen. Once they reached the kitchen, they saw it was decadent. Troi noticed that they had _real _hardwood flooring. Moset stood in the center of the opulent kitchen with his arms crossed.

"Ok, here's what you will be making for my family for our night time meal. This refrigeration unit holds four creatures we call Daarlonzon. Similar to what you find in Earth's oceans. What you might call Lobster my dear Counselor."

Troi's eyes widened.

"Sir, I'm deathly allergic to Lobster. I cannot even touch it. May we be allowed to prepare something else?"

Moset shook his head at Deanna.

"Tsk tsk. I will not deny my two beautiful daughter's the chance for a rare Daarlonzon now would I? They've been bugging me about it for weeks."

Deanna sighed, but put on the gloves Moset tossed to her.

"These will protect you from the secretions that Daarlonzon's tend to leave behind when being prepared. Cardassian's have a natural immunity to these secretions of course. Interestingly enough, Bajorans too have an immunity to it. I'll leave the two of you to your work."

Troi cast Kina a nervous look as she pressed the control panel to open the refrigeration unit.

"I don't know about Daarlonzon, but I could not be around any Earth Lobster without having an anaphylactic reaction to it. Even breathing its scent, sent me to the hospital on Betazed. My husband has to pay special attention to what kind of fish he eats. I'm allergic to a fish on Earth they call Salmon. Much to my husband's disappointment."

Kina placed something over Troi's face.

"Here, this will filter out the scent of the Daarlonzon. It will help protect your airway and keep it open and functioning."

Deanna nodded and opened up the refrigeration unit. The Daarlonzon was much bigger than an ordinary Lobster back on Earth. But they were green instead of a deep red. That was the only difference. She placed the crustacean into the pot of boiling water. She was glad for once that Kina couldn't see her disgusted look on her face.

"Thank-you for all you've done for me Kina. I appreciate the lengths you've gone to help me stay alive in this place."

It was forty minutes before Kina and Deanna were finished cooking the four Daarlonzon. Kina crinkled up her face which Deanna could only assume was the smell of the sea creature.

"I may have a natural immunity to Daarlonzon, but the smell is barely palatable."

Deanna had to smile at Kina. She held everything together so nicely. The two of them together made their way into the dining room with two plates of Daarlonzon in each hand. A set of twins sat on the right side of the table, while Moset and his wife sat on each end, respectively. The smaller of the two twins spoke.

"Oh! Is that Daarlonzon for me?"

Moset gave the child a stern look.

"Alarica, what did I say about manners?"

Alarica momentarily bowed her head.

"Sorry daddy. May I have that Daarlonzon please?"

Deanna had been holding the smallest Daarlonzon, so she placed it in front of Alarica on the table. As Deanna set the other plate on the table next to Alarica, she heard her sister speak up as she left the dining room.

"Daddy? Why does that woman have a mask and gloves on?"

Troi didn't hear the rest, she was back in the kitchen. She took the gloves from her hands. They felt like they were burning. The smell was what hit her like a ton of bricks. She hadn't thought through clearly enough to leave the mask on until they returned to their living quarters. She tried to call out for help, but her voice barely squeaked. Her throat was closing so quickly, that she wasn't getting enough oxygen to her lungs. Before she knew what was happening, she was on the kitchen floor, gasping to breath. By the time Kina had returned to the kitchen, she could barely see her.

"Deanna, what happened?"

She couldn't answer Kina. Her eye sight was going white now. Troi didn't know which pain was worse, her throat closing or the pain ripping across her abdomen. One thing for sure was, she was in trouble.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	7. Reaction Out Of Thin Air

**Chapter 7: Reaction out of Thin Air**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own: Lily. Date Started: 5/17/14. Date Finished: 6/5/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

"Quickly! He's having an anaphylactic reaction! I need 10 cc's of Epinephrine now! Will look at me, stay with me."

Will couldn't focus on anything. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and the screen monitoring his vitals began to beep loudly. A nurse turned to Beverly with panic in her voice.

"Doctor, his blood pressure's dropping and his heart rate is becoming irregular!"

It seemed that the 10 cc's of Epinephrine weren't having any effect on opening up Riker's airway. The color seemed to be draining from his face at an alarming rate.

"Another 5 cc's of Epinephrine. Let's try placing it in his thigh this time."

Will tried to wince but he still couldn't concentrate on anything else but getting a decent breath into his lungs. Suddenly, his heart flat lined. Beverly moved faster, grabbing for a couple of cortical stimulators and placing them on his forehead.

"Oh no you don't Will. You've got a daughter coming into the world in 14 weeks and I honestly don't think Deanna could bear being without you."

He was in the dark. There was nothing above him or below him. There was no noise, only silence. Then suddenly, bright light blinded him and Bev's voice was echoing in his ears.

"…There we go, that's it. Take deep breaths in and out. Ok, relax."

His lungs felt like they were burning. When he tried to speak, he found that his voice didn't work.

"Take it easy Will. It seems you've had an anaphylactic reaction to some sort of Lobster."

Will creased his eyebrows in confusion and worry. _Huh? But I'm not allergic to Lobster. Deanna and I must have a very strong link to each other. _Swallowing down some water, he managed to get out a whisper.

"But I'm not allergic to Lobster. Deanna is."

Crusher raised her eyebrows and scanned his head.

"The only explanation I can come up with Will is that you and Deanna have a very strong telepathic link to each other. What she feels, so do you. This could be opening a Pandora's Box though."

Will nodded and tried to get up. He was very frustrated that he wasn't getting anywhere in the search for his very pregnant wife.

"Where are we on finding Deanna?"

Crusher gave him a sympathetic look and put a hand on his shoulder.

"The captain established a COMM link down to the planet while we were working on you. But I don't know if it's still open."

That was enough to get Riker off the bio bed and towards the door. He'd had it with sitting around idly twiddling his thumbs. He was going to get answers from that Cardassian talking to Picard if it was the last thing he did. Getting to his feet, he all but tore the cortical stimulators from his forehead and walked out of Sickbay. Bev followed him all the way to the turbolift and got in with him. She turned to him with a death glare.

"This isn't smart Will."

He matched her death glare with his own.

"Try putting yourself in my wife's shoes. Your 8 months pregnant and taken hostage by Cardassians and being put through god only knows what. I've read horror stories of women who were domestic servants in Cardassian households on Cardassia. We have to get her out of there."

Bev's eyes widened and she balled her fists.

"Will Riker, I _do _know what your wife is going through. Right before Wesley, I had another child. A daughter named Carmen. She never made it to term. A sort of shape shifter took me from my home and held me in some secret underground bunker on Alcatraz Island. I was there until three weeks before she was born. Something in me told me that she was gone, but I just didn't want to believe it. Blame it on the way the shape shifter treated me, but ultimately, I think it came down to it giving me so little food."

Riker's gaze softened, and he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I shouldn't have gotten angry with you. I'm not angry with _you_, I'm angry at the Cardassian that took my wife. I'm sorry about your daughter. Right now I need you to help me find Deanna. I don't want the same thing to happen my little girl."

Bev put on her professional demeanor and nodded.

"Ok, but its not like we can just storm down to the planet and find out where she is. I just hope and pray that she really isn't a domestic servant."

Will could see the haunted look in Bev's eyes. He felt ashamed for raising his voice at her.

'What have I gotten myself into?'

His mind was plagued with worry and anxiety as they stepped off the turbolift and onto the bridge. Taking a shaking breath in he let it out as Bev went into the Observation Lounge followed by Will right behind her. He saw a large Cardassian on the screen just in front of Picard.

"Tell me where my wife is right now!"

Picard turned on his heel for a split second, but didn't have time to respond before the Cardassian did.

"So, you are Riker. Well, as head of intelligence, I cannot let you have your wife. She is under lock and key as a domestic servant in the house of Krell Moset."

Riker's blood became ice in his veins once more as he tried not to picture what might be happening to her.

"Look, uh, what's your name?"

The Cardassian held up a hand.

"Gul Dukon, Commander Riker."

Will cleared his throat and held his temper in check.

"Do whatever you have to do to pull strings in the chain of command. I want my wife back. Please, she's carrying our first child."

Riker thought he saw Gul Dukon's tough exterior shift slightly.

"I… have a young daughter myself. I'll see what I can do. But I'll make no promises Riker. If the Minister of Defense tells me no, I cannot disobey his direct orders."

A faint smile crossed Will's lips, but then he kept his diplomatic hat on. The screen went blank and Picard gave Riker a stone-cold gaze. He motioned to Bev to leave the room.

"Could you wait outside for a few minutes doctor?"

Bev nodded her head yes and stepped out of the Observation Lounge.

"Of course."

Once the doors closed Picard turned to Will and a stern voice came out.

"I will only tell you this once Will, do not interrupt when I'm negotiating terms one-on-one with the Cardassian military. We are doing everything we can to get Deanna back."

Swallowing he nodded his head and tugged at his uniform shirt.

"Of course sir. I understand completely."

Nodding curtly, Picard waved his hand signaling that he could go.

"Send Doctor Crusher in Number One, I'd like to talk to her alone."

Will again nodded his head in agreement and stepped out of the Observation Lounge.

"The captain would like to speak with you doctor."

Bev strode towards the door, and Will put a hand on her elbow.

"He's on the quiet warpath."

Crusher acknowledged Riker's comment and went into the lounge. Crossing the bridge, Riker went to sit in his chair and waited. His mind began to wander, and he wondered what was going on behind the closed doors of the Observation Lounge. Closing his eyes, he whispered and hoped that no one else heard him.

"Please let Deanna and the baby be safe."

Maybe it was said more as a prayer to make him feel better. But he didn't believe in any higher power.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


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